Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say US attack on Larak Island killed and injured several; vows response

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that a US attack on Larak Island in southern Iran killed and injured several of its fighters and citizens, vowing a response and “punishment of the aggressor.” In a statement, the IRGC’s public relations department accused the US of carrying out an “aggressive” attack on the island in the southern Hormozgan province. “The American-Zionist enemy, once again driven by its inability to resolve its internal problems and its declining credibility among countries in the region, and in an attempt to revive its sinister role and justify its actions before public opinion, carried out an act of aggression targeting Larak Island, killing and injuring a number of our fighters and citizens,” it said. Earlier, the Fars news agency said local residents reported hearing an explosion near Larak Island, while the exact location and cause were initially unclear. The Tasnim news agency said preliminary information indicated that a drone attack had targeted a location on the island. The Iranian reports came after US media said American forces struck the island, where forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with mines into the Strait of Hormuz.​​​​​​​